With Joel Embiid (knee soreness) and Boban Marjanovic (knee sprain) both ruled out in Oklahoma City Thursday, the Sixers on Wednesday recalled center Justin Patton from the Delaware Blue Coats.

Patton, acquired from the Timberwolves in the Jimmy Butler deal, played in just one NBA game in Minnesota last season. The 21-year-old suffered a Jones fracture in his right foot in September and has spent the last month in the G-League.

The former first-round pick has flashed some of his abilities. He’s playing just 18.2 minutes a night but is averaging 11.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in seven games with the 87ers. Selected 16th overall by the Bulls out of Creighton, Patton has a lot of the skills you’re looking for out of a modern NBA big.

He’s an athletic rim runner, meaning he can get up the floor in transition and defend the rim at the other end. He has good touch and has extended his range during his time out. The free throws (57 percent in Delaware) are still an issue.

The biggest concern will be at the defensive end — and the matchup Thursday isn’t ideal. The Thunder start the hulking Steven Adams but also have two athletic former Sixers in Nerlens Noel and Jerami Grant, who at times plays small-ball five. If Brett Brown mixes Patton in with rookie Jonah Bolden and veteran Amir Johnson, it’ll be a big ask.

With that said, there’s likely never been a better time to get a look at Patton, who will become an unrestricted free agent at season’s end. Plus, we have an idea of what Bolden is and definitely know what Johnson is.

Let’s see what Patton can bring to the table.

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It was clear the backup center position was a glaring need this postseason. The Sixers had options, but none of them were good enough. If Brett Brown had better ones, perhaps the Sixers would be the team that’s a game away from the NBA Finals.

I imagine Elton Brand will give Brown more ammo at the five next season. The free-agent market isn’t littered with guys, but there are certainly players that would seem like an upgrade. Former Process Sixer Dewayne Dedmon will likely get paid to be a starter somewhere, but he’d be a nice fit here. Maybe DeAndre Jordan or Robin Lopez if their demand goes down. JaVale McGee and Tyson Chandler are out there, but they seem like West Coast guys. Nerlens Noel … not sure we’re there yet.

More likely you’re looking at someone like Kyle O’Quinn. O’Quinn is tough, smart and moves better than any of the veteran bigs the Sixers had this season. It’s not a sexy signing, but it could be a practical one. I’d also expect Brand to target the position in the draft. Arkansas' Daniel Gafford, Georgia's Nic Claxton, Maryland's Bruno Fernando and Florida State's Mfiondu Kabengele are guys to watch at No. 24 and beyond.

When drafting from the 20th pick on, I know we historically have liked to draft long, athletic wings who can defend anyone or Europeans who we can stash? What is the chance we will move to a a person who can be instant offense for the second unit this year like Carson Edwards?

These questions are similar enough so we’ll tackle them both with one response.

Brand said during his end-of-season press conference that the team could be looking for older players and that it would prioritize defense and shooting. There will be guys who fit that description at No. 24 and Edwards might be one of them. He can score in a variety of ways as he showed in the NCAA Tournament. So, too, could North Carolina’s Cameron Johnson. Tennessee's Admiral Schofield and Washington's Matisse Thybulle could also fit that bill along with any of the bigs mentioned above.

But that’s not to say the Sixers will pass on a player simply because of age. If a player like Kentucky’s Tyler Herro is around at 24, Brand would be wise to take a look. Herro can really shoot it and isn’t a stiff on defense.

If Tobias walks, what’s the best way to spend what the Sixers might have spent on him? And, is there a player available the Sixers have a real chance at getting that would be worth not re-signing Harris?

I’m answering this question as if you’re thinking Jimmy Butler will be back — not a foregone conclusion — and the Sixers will be pushed into the luxury tax by signing Harris. There really is no one player you’d be looking for to replace Harris. With the money you’d have, it’d be difficult to target a star-caliber player. More likely you’re looking to improve your depth. Really, the same can be said if you lose Butler and retain Harris.

If you’re looking for a starting four, Rudy Gay would make some sense. Gay shot a career-high 40 percent from three and played defense for maybe the first time in his entire career. It could also allow you to sign a backup point guard like Corey Joseph or a veteran wing like Terrence Ross.

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But given what the Sixers can offer Butler and James’ contract situation, the Sixers are the better fit.

There are certainly dots that connect Butler with L.A. The fact that the Lakers have the best player in the world in LeBron is obviously appealing. Though the franchise has fallen on rough times, there is a rich history there. Butler reportedly “once imagined” playing for the Lakers and is often seen rocking a Dodgers cap. Butler has also talked about wanting to open his own winery when he retires. L.A. is six hours from Napa Valley, but it’s a lot closer than Philly.

With all that said, the Sixers are still in an advantageous spot. Because they acquired Butler in a trade, they own his Bird Rights. That means they’re the only team that can offer Butler a fifth year on his next contract. Butler has openly stated that he’d like to retire after his age-35 season. With his 30th birthday upcoming, a deal with the Sixers could give him security up until that retirement — and pay him pretty damn handsomely.

The opportunity to play with James is attractive, but James will be 34 next season and only has two years left on his deal with a player option for a third. With the Sixers, he has two young stars that haven’t even reached their prime and should be in Philadelphia for a long time. While a Butler and James pairing immediately makes the Lakers better, the Sixers were a couple bounces — and perhaps a healthy Joel Embiid — away from being in the Eastern Conference Finals.

“Talking about this roster, we just had a slight hiccup,” Butler said. “But what hurts most about this loss is we had a great group of guys that would ride for one another. It was special. We enjoyed playing with each other. You couldn’t mess with anybody on the team because somebody was always going to be there, in your face. But to think that this roster might not be the exact same next year, that’s what really hurts.”

Beyond money and the opportunity to win, Butler truly emerged as a leader for the Sixers. Given his personality, that seems like something he relishes. Would he have that same leadership opportunity playing with James?

We also can’t underestimate the relationship Butler developed with Brown. Player and coach grew to understand each other. Given Butler’s abrasive personality, that can’t be understated. Will Frank Vogel be able to develop that kind of connection?

While the Sixers look like the better fit, there’s no telling what’s in Butler’s mind and heart. He mentioned during his exit interview how important keeping the people in his inner circle happy is. It’s fair to note that Butler also did forge a bond with player development specialist Remy Ndiaye and player development coach Lindsey Harding, both of whom can be spotted in videos on Butler’s YouTube channel — which is super entertaining, on a side note.

Buckle up, Sixers fans. This is just the beginning of the silly season. Things are going to get weird.

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